Purina recalls some Muse cat food over rubber pieces

Purina has voluntarily recalled some Muse wet cat food, citing complaints of rubber pieces found in cans. Nestlé Purina PetCare Company announced the voluntary recall last Thursday. The recall of Muse wet cat food applies to the Natural Chicken Recipe in Gravy in three-ounce cans. “The product could contain rubber pieces that are translucent yellow with a blue backing, which may present a potential choking hazard,” the company said in a statement. “We became aware of the issue after receiving complaints from pet owners who observed the rubber pieces in the product. . . . We have made changes to our process so this should not happen in the future.” Purina has yet to receive any reports of injury or illness but said it is conducting the voluntary recall as a precaution. . . . more

Salmonella found in raw dog food from Darwin’s Natural Pet Products

Salmonella has been found in some raw dog food products, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Three lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products tested positive for the bacterium. The products, manufactured by Arrow Reliance, Inc., are sold online directly to consumers. The department found the contamination in response to a consumer complaint. The FDA responded to the complaint by analyzing unopened samples of the product from the three lots. Arrow Reliance has removed the products from the market but did not issue a public recall notice. The FDA is still working with the firm to recall the remaining products. . . . more

1,100 mutilated dolphins have washed up on French beaches

A record number of mutilated dolphins have washed up on the shores of French beaches in 2019. France is now attempting to take action, although animal rights groups said it isn’t enough. 1,100 dolphins have been found on the beaches of France’s Atlantic coast since January. The dolphins were not only dead but had been badly mutilated, many with their fins cut off. The massive amount of deaths is being blamed on the industrial fishing industry. Animal welfare groups worldwide have expressed concern, and France’s ecology minister has launched a national campaign to protect them in the future. . . . more

Battle over “blood slave” donor dogs in California pits veterinarians against veterinarians

In a blood fight that’s dividing the profession in the Golden State, scores of veterinarians are urging the California Legislature to follow the lead of other states and outlaw “closed-colony” animal blood banks in California by 2022. They made the request in a letter signed by 63 veterinarians, including professors at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. California’s commercial blood banks provide most of the blood and related products that America’s veterinarians use for life-saving surgeries and transfusions. The battle mounting in California over captive donors, or what critics call “blood slaves,” affects animal welfare nationwide. The California Veterinary Medical Association opposes the bill. . . . more

Ghosts? Scents?: Scotland stumped why numerous canines have jumped from “Dog Suicide Bridge”

It’s a mystery that has plagued the superstitious town of Dumbarton, Scotland, since the 1950s: Why do dogs jump from Overtoun Bridge? Numerous dogs—reportedly up to 600 canines—have inexplicably thrown themselves from the bridge, which has earned the name “Dog Suicide Bridge,” and dozens have died from the subsequent fall to the rocks below. Many explanations have been offered over the decades for why the bridge has seemingly compelled dogs to jump down into the gorge it covers. Some believe ghosts are responsible for the bridge’s infamy; some suggest it could be a “thin place”—a location where Celtic Christians believe Heaven and Earth overlap; and others blame the small mammals below the bridge. . . . more